Mara is the unconscious

Language and the human brain are such that new things and events are explained with reference to things and events that we already know eg “My love is like a red red rose”.

Most people are familiar with the notions of I, me and mine ie with the ego illusion. A person can cut off their toe nails and still be wholey me. They can cut off their legs and arms and torso and still be me. They can break open the skull and the brain will still be me – although there are problems in that the mind has a mind of its own. There is an unconscious energy that causes me to chase after some things, avoid some things, and be neutral about other things.

This unconscious energy has intentions. Some are good while others are bad. So what are these uncontrollable intentions like? They are like people in your social group. Some are goodness personified while some are badness personified.

These actual people are like the voices in my head - and they can be given names. Different cultures use different names - for example, Zoroastrianism has Asha v Druj; Christianity has God v Satan and Buddhism has Buddha v Mara. Note in passing that these three examples are dualistic and thought is given to destroying the bad and leaving the good in charge. Taoism is different in that it recognises yin and yang as forces that contain the seeds of each other and flow into each other in a continuing dance.

BUT – either way, unknown things and events (eg the bipolar, intentioned unconscious) are explained with reference to things and events that we already know (eg good and bad personality types in the social group).

Viewing things in this way adds a 21st century dimension to making sense of ancient myths.

Thus, for example, there is the famous occasion in Buddhism where the Buddha sat under a tree and vowed not to get up until he was enlightened. Mara was keen to prevent this happening and attacked the Buddha with vast armies of worldly delights and despairs. But the Buddha remained peaceful and in the end, Mara retreated ( Note: but he was not gone forever – there are many other stories about Buddha meeting with Mara). 

The 21st century telling of this story would go like this: Earnest Everyman took time out to just sit quietly and peacefully. But all kinds of thoughts, feelings and moods emerged from his unconscious, entered his attention centre and, initiated reactions and responses. So he was on autopilot most of the time. However, with practice, he creates a non-judgemental witness to what passes through mind. He is therefore able to remain unattached to, and therefore free to choose from, the compulsive mind stuff from the unconscious. He escapes from mindless captivity and finds freedom and liberation.

To change metaphors, he is gone, gone, gone to the other shore where this shore is autopilot and the other shore is the unattached witness. The raft used to cross the river is mindfulness.

By bearing non judgemental witness to my positive, neutral and negative thoughts, feelings and moods the autopilot (aka Mara and the unconscious) can be let go.